According to the reports so far, more than 14 people have died and hundreds are missing in Sikkim after a cloudburst and floods affected several regions in the state. Over 3,000 tourists are feared to be stranded in different parts of Sikkim. The lake outburst also caused the breach of the Chungthang Dam, which is the largest hydropower project in the state.

The situation is getting terrible!

The huge cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim turned into a flash flood in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley on 4 October which caused the death of at least 14 people. At least 102 went missing after the cloudburst in the tiny hilly state. The flood started around 1:30 am was made worse by the release of water from the Chungthang Dam. Several towns like Dikchu, Singtam, and Rangpo located in the Teesta basin, have been flooded with the upsurge in the river.

Some 166 people have so far been rescued, including one of the 23 army men. “Five bodies have been recovered from Golitar and Singtam region,” as Gangtok Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mahendra Chettri has said. Central Water Commission (CWC) said in a post on X formally known as Twitter that the lake burst could have been caused by the earthquake in Nepal on Tuesday, but they did not elaborate on that matter.

Rescue operation!

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has pressed three teams for rescue-and-relief operations following a cloudburst over the Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim that resulted in a flash flood in the Teesta river basin, officials said on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation on Wednesday night, assuring all possible support to the chief minister. the flash floods affected the northern parts of West Bengal that share a border with Sikkim, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that 10,000 people have been rescued already. The Governor is expected to visit the affected areas today. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), under the Chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, met today and reviewed the situation in Sikkim.